Dancing On The Edge Of A Knife

17. Text

Ester wished she could just forget about the roses and move on. She found time to feel flattered the next day though. After Olivia told her to relax and don't view it as some sort of threat.

She also managed to let Ester think that yes, there is a strong possibility that Devon was her secret admirer. But it only made her feel more uneasy as her brain was filled with questions.

She didn't even know how to reach out to her secret admirer until later that night, right after Sierra's dance lesson. The two were sitting at their usual spot, eating and chatting.

Ester felt her phone vibrate in her jeans pocket. So she quickly fished it out and frowned at the display. Sierra was alarmed.
"What is it?"

Ester had yet to tell her friend about the secret admirer, but felt herself hesitate. If it were Devon, she knew he wouldn't appreciate if Ester told his sister. But where was this sudden sense of kindness coming from? Ester hated him, did she not?

"It's uh- it's nothing important. Just work." Ester forced a smile and shoved her phone back into her pocket. Sierra nodded, noting that something was wrong. But she gave Ester time. If her friend didn't want to talk about it, she shouldn't have to.

"Anyways. As I was saying. He's called me twice yesterday. I only texted him this morning that I was busy and that I wish him a great vacation." Sierra rolled her eyes.

"That was nice." Ester chuckled.
"Tell me about it. I figured I shouldn't let it out on him. He's just lucky and what would it give me if I worsen his vacation? According to mom, he really needed it." Sierra sighed.

"You're talking to your mom again?" Ester asked, placing her elbows on the table and letting her chin rest on her palms.
"No, she told me that before she snapped at me. I haven't talked to her in two days. She's called me three times last night." Sierra took a sip of her lemonade.

"You guys should talk it out. She's your mom, Sierra." Ester told her friend, who just sighed before looking at the table top for a long time. It was silent and Ester feared Sierra was mad at her for telling her what to do, but that thought soon vanished when Sierra looked up at her.

"You never told me anything about your parents. Do they live here too?" Ester's heartbeat quickened after her question.
"No. They're dead." She said and Sierra's mouth opened and then closed again.

"I'm sorry, I-"
"Seriously, Sierra it's fine. You didn't know." Ester forced out a smile and then took a sip of her water. Sierra sighed and then peeked over at her friend, who seemed to be in another world.

"What happened?" Sierra dared to ask. She figured if she didn't want to talk about it, she'd just not tell her. But Sierra felt a little insensitive for not asking. She did care about Ester.

"It happened two years ago. Well, my mom died two years ago. I never knew my dad, I just saw pictures of him. He was some American producer or something like that. I can't remember. But I know he died in a plane crash when he was on his way to Russia." Ester took a deep breath.

"Where I was born. My mother was Russian. My father planned on taking us to the USA after I was born. And after his death, my mother did go to America. We settled down in Utah. I lived there for most of my life until two years ago. When my mother got sick and we didn't have the money for the treatments." Ester's eyes watered.

"Oh God. I'm so sorry." Sierra reached over the table and held her hand. Ester just shook her head with a faint smile on her lips.

"The moment I heard the news, my whole world broke down. My grades started to fall and I found myself in my room, under my bed sheets for two weeks straight. Until life told me to move on. I had no one and I was afraid they'd send me back to Russia where I didn't even know anyone. I couldn't even speak the language, mom never taught me." Ester smiled now.